Shielding Bus Drivers with Flash-Pass Mobile Ticketing

There is no doubt that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to long-term changes in social behaviour. Social distancing, currently a learned behaviour during the lockdown, is becoming embedded in our collective psyche and is set to become part of our everyday reality – potentially for some time to come If the novel coronavirus hadn’t appeared when it did, we might well have been hit by a pandemic caused by a new strain of flu virus, which has been anticipated by global health organisations for a while. Whatever the reason for our changing behaviour, it is likely that we should continue to practice hand-washing, covering our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze, and keeping our distance from each other as stated in government advice.

Although there is not much travel happening just now apart from essential workers, during steadier times bus journeys account for over 60 percent of all public transport trips in the UK. So how do we plan for making these journeys safer – particularly for drivers who are unable to move away from coughing passengers and must sit all day in an enclosed environment full of people? The immediate response has been to welcome passengers through the middle door to minimise driver/passenger contact. Despite the good, this has brought to transport staff, if social distancing rules are to be applied for some time into the future, this measure begs the question of how to validate tickets to ensure all passengers have the right to board?

Mobile ticketing technology inherently supports social distancing on buses as it allows passengers to stand well back from the driver and still show their ticket to be validated. Flash-pass mobile ticketing, using a dynamic word of the day, is a visual verification technology where the mobile ticket is activated by the passenger who then holds their phone up – at a distance – from the driver who can clearly see and validate the mobile ticket. Because it eliminates the need for cash or card payment, passengers don’t need to be as close as arm’s length to tap a touch-pad or for a driver to handle coins. This shielding technology safeguards drivers and also keeps passengers’ from having to touch too many surfaces such as wallets, travel passes, and even cash and coins.

As we continue to adopt preventing measures to avoid the spread of the disease and consider strategies for the longer term, it’s good to see transport operators across the UK encouraging passengers to use technologies that support social distancing, including mobile tickets. We are working hard with all our partners to help keep buses safe for drivers and ensuring passengers get to their destinations.